Buckeye fans party at celebration sites

A sea of scarlet and gray filled area establishments to support the Buckeyes.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- If thundering cheers of Ohio State fans at Youngstown-area bars and restaurants had any influence, it's little wonder Ohio State defeated Michigan to clinch the Big Ten championship.
Buckeye faithful turned out in force to tip a few cocktails and munch on finger food as they watched the Buckeyes edge Michigan, 42-39 at "The Horseshoe" in Columbus.
At Buffalo Wild Wings in downtown Youngstown, Kysha Martin of Youngstown got a good seat early with her family.
"I've always been an Ohio State fan," Martin said proudly, noting she studied nursing at OSU.
Although Martin's boyfriend, George Traylor, is an Ursuline High School graduate and a Notre Dame backer, he cheered for the Buckeyes on Saturday.
"I've got to go with my family. I'm good to go with Ohio State," Traylor said as he also kept an eye on a big screen that carried the Army-Notre Dame game. (Notre Dame won 41-9.)
If was difficult to find Michigan fans among those wearing OSU's scarlet-and-gray colors.
A few Wolverine fans
Reggie Sanders of Youngstown, sitting near Martin's table, was actually backing Michigan.
"I'm not worried about it," said Sanders, who was surrounded by OSU's faithful. When the Buckeyes aren't playing the Wolverines, Sanders noted, he's an Ohio State backer.
Sanders noted that he had a 10 bet on Michigan, which was a 61/2-point underdog going into the game. He won his bet.
Another Michigan fan was James Pruitt of Boardman, a native of Warren, Mich., who moved to this area 18 months ago.
At the Youngstown Sports Grille in Boardman, a tent was set up to accommodate the fans. It was filled to capacity with four televisions for them to view.
Chrissy Pascarella, a YSU graduate from Boardman, proudly cheered for the Buckeyes. Asked why she was an OSU fan, she yelled, "I live in Ohio!"
Pascarella said she would have had a major cry if the Buckeyes were defeated.
One of the few Wolverine fans at the Boardman bar and restaurant was a fellow who would only give his first name, Mike, because he was recently released from prison.
"I'm about to celebrate with a win here," Mike said before Michigan scored in the second quarter to draw within seven points of OSU.
Responses
But the crowd roared and high-fives were passed around as the Buckeyes responded quickly with another touchdown.
At Davidson's Restaurant on Canfield Road in Cornersburg, Tonii Kronk, of Austintown, was having a beer while yelling for the Buckeyes.
Asked why she was a Buckeye fan, she responded, "It's obvious. It's the better team."
What if OSU loses? "They're not going to lose," she was quick to comment.
Kronk, the mother of two, pointed out that she grew up as an OSU fan because her father was one.
A short distance from Davidson's is the Chalet on South Meridian Road. There, regulars wearing their Buckeye colors rimmed the bar and ate from the buffet compliments of owner Dave Nerone and his wife, Patti.
Wearing his Buckeye sweat shirt and cap was Paul Marquette of Youngstown, a Chalet regular.
Marquette, 37, said he's been a Buckeyes fan since he was born.
"I've been wearing Buckeye outfits since the early '70s," Marquette said, noting that even if Ohio State had lost, he would continue to cheer them on in a bowl game.
A great bowl game would be a rematch between the Buckeyes and Wolverines, he noted.
yovich@vindy.com